Whether it’s your first time, or your 91st time, there is much to love about watching Batman: The Animated Series. The television show, which made its debut back in September 1992, is easily one of the greatest Batman cartoons of all time, if not THE greatest Batman cartoon of all time.
But if you are new to the series, where do you even start?! Well, you start with the best episodes, of course!
Below are the episodes of Batman: The Animated Series you simply must watch. The stories are listed in no particular order, but are in my opinion the crème de la crème of the show’s entire run.
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On Leather Wings
First up is On Leather Wings, which is not only one of the best episodes of Batman: The Animated Series, it is also the very first episode! The story focuses on a series of attacks in Gotham City, which are being committed by a bat-like creature.
The Gotham City police believe the culprit is the masked vigilante Batman, however, the Caped Crusader is completely innocent. But Batman knows the only way to clear his name is to expose the real ‘bat’ behind the crimes.
Dark, serious and packed with eye-popping imagery, On Leather Wings is an awesome episode of the show. It sets the tone for the entire series, and introduces a great villain in Man-Bat.
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Heart of Ice
Up next is arguably the most famous episode of Batman: The Animated Series – and for good reason! Heart of Ice is a real corker, which introduces Mr. Freeze into the series and elevates him from a gimmicky hood to a credible and tragic figure amongst Batman’s rogues’ gallery.
In this episode, Dr. Victor Fries is working on a cure for his wife, who is dying from an illness, when his work is interrupted by his employer, Ferris Boyle. An accident occurs, Fries is exposed to dangerous chemicals, and both he and his wife are left for dead.
But Fries doesn’t die, and instead transforms into the cold-hearted villain, Mr. Freeze. Seeking revenge for himself and his wife, Freeze seeks out Boyle, crossing paths with Batman along the way.
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Feat of Clay – Part One and Part Two
In the two-part story, Feat of Clay, disfigured movie actor Matt Hagen is desperate to maintain his acting career, despite his appearance. For a while he manages to hide his scars with the use of a wonder cream, which he uses to reshape his skin, however, when he is given an overdose of the cream, Hagen transforms into the villainous Clayface.
As with Mr. Freeze, Clayface’s origin story has a tragic element. The tale is then heightened through an engaging story, as well as a beautiful score, and some imaginative animation.
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Perchance to Dream
In Perchance to Dream, Batman: The Animated Series asks the intriguing question: What if Bruce Wayne wasn’t Batman? Would he still be a force for good, or would he simply be content as a billionaire playboy?
That’s the premise of this episode, which sees Bruce living in a Gotham City where he no longer has to devote his life to fighting crime. And to make things even more interesting, his parents are still alive!
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Robin’s Reckoning – Part One and Part Two
In the two-part story, Robin’s Reckoning, the origin of Batman’s crime-fighting partner, Robin is detailed in full. Expect a story which includes loss, anger, and revenge.
Robin’s Reckoning is a stellar two-part story, where both episodes are as good as each other. The animation is superb, the voice cast give it their all, and Robin’s backstory has never felt so emotive or compelling.
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Almost Got ‘Im
In Almost Got ‘Im, the Joker, Penguin, Poison Ivy, Two-Face, and Killer Croc all meet up to take part in a poker game. During the course of the game, each villain shares a story about the time they almost bumped off Batman.
However, as the night progresses, and the stories become wilder, one of the villains might not be telling the whole story. There might also be a little bit more to their meeting than it first seems.
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Trial
In Trial, the inmates of Arkham take over the asylum and decide to use the opportunity to hold a trial, with death on the cards for the accused. Who is on trial? Why, Batman of course!
In this episode, Batman must prove that he isn’t responsible for creating the villains of Gotham. He only needs to convince the jury… which is composed of his most fearsome foes, with the Joker as the judge!
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Read My Lips
Up next is Read My Lips, a creepy little tale involving gangsters and a mysterious new foe. In the episode, a new gang is committing crimes in Gotham, leading Batman onto one of his most perplexing cases.
The gang is led by the dastardly Scarface. Thing is, Scarface appears to be a ventriloquist’s dummy!
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Over the Edge
In Over the Edge, Batgirl is murdered, Batman is blamed, and the Dark Knight’s secret is exposed! Could things get any worse? You bet they could!
Over the course of this twenty-minute episode, all hell breaks loose in Gotham as former friends become bitter enemies and Batman becomes public enemy No.1. But how long can Batman evade the long arm of the law, especially after his colleagues began to fall?
Showcasing stunning animation, Over the Edge is arguably the BEST episode of Batman: The Animated Series after Heart of Ice. Put simply, it is a MUST watch.
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Beware the Gray Ghost
In Beware the Gray Ghost, a terrorist is bombing areas of Gotham City, leading Batman to enlist the aid of a former TV actor who once played Bruce Wayne’s biggest hero, the Gray Ghost! But can the Gray Ghost be trusted?
Former ’60s Batman actor, Adam West provides the voice of Simon Trent/the Gray Ghost in what is a poignant passing of the torch from one Bat to another. This episode is simply superb.
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Mad Love
And finally, once upon a time, Dr. Harleen Quinzel was a promising psychologist at Arkham Asylum. However, after meeting the Joker and taking him on as a patient, her life is turned upside down and she is never the same again.
Mad Love tells the origin story of Harley Quinn, showing her transformation from doctor to crazed criminal. Harley was created specifically for Batman: The Animated Series, and Mad Love gives her one of the best backstories.
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Thank you for stopping by It’s A Stampede! to read this post about Batman: The Animated Series. For more posts, be sure to check out the recommended reads below.
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